The Hechinger Report’s latest article by Strada Education Network’s Ben Wildavsky analyzes the effects the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the workforce. This piece looks beyond what Washington needs to do in order to begin pandemic recovery and analyzes the roles of individual cities and regions in this recovery. Wildavsky makes the case for why bridge builders (whom we refer to as Navigators) are the solution to the current workforce crisis job seeks, employers and other stakeholders in local communities face. Wildavsky states “We need bridge builders — intermediaries that play a vital role in workforce development by connecting learners, educators and employers, helping them to speak a common language and resolve local supply and demand mismatches”.

While these bridge builders are imperative to solving the economic crisis, it’s even more important that they are trained and certified on uniform standards for developing talent. Navigators who are trained and certified do have the ability to unclog pipelines between education and work by empowering aspiring workers to navigate pathways between education and a fulfilling career which will ultimately lead to economic mobility for millions of people.